Sunday, May 22, 2005

50.000 Kurds demonstrate for Sheikh Mohammad Mashouk al-Khaznawi

According to a representative of the Kurdish Yekiti party 50,000 Syrian Kurds demonstrated in the Kurdish city Qamishli, demanding to know the whereabouts of Sheikh Mohammad Mashouk al-Khaznawi, a missing Kurdish cleric. His son and human rights groups said he was kidnapped by Syrian security agents, a charge Syria's Interior Ministry denied this week. The protesters carried posters of al-Khaznawi and placards that demanded to know the man's fate. Witnesses said riot police and security agents watched the demonstration, which was largely peaceful

I also attended to a conference about the Syrian Kurds. Here I got to know more about the current situation about the regime and the Kurds. There were representatives of amnesty international, Dutch government, Yekiti party, refugee organisations, etc. A new committee set up for the Syrian opposition shall meet the Dutch minister of foreign affairs on Tuesday.

There will be more demonstrations for Sheikh Mohammed Mashouk al-Khaznawi today in front of the Syrian embassy in Brussel (Belgium).